The Brief

Pop Culture Happy Hour critics recently chewed over who should, and who will win an Oscar this year. Our predictions — and hopes — for best picture are below.

The case for Anora

Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan and Mikey Madison as Ani in "Anora."

(

NEON

)

Anora should win, and it will:

Aisha Harris: The thing that's always good to keep in mind when predicting the Oscars — besides the obvious fact that the awards very rarely have anything to do with actual merit — is this: Ranked choice voting.

There's no way of knowing whether or not certain wins occur because a majority of members actually loved a movie enough to put it at the top of their rankings, or because enough voters made it their second or third choice to tip the scales. That being said, the odious press around Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofia Gascón (not to mention the polarizing reactions to the movie itself) seems to have moved Anora to the front of the pack. It's been in the awards season conversation since winning the Palme D'Or at Cannes last May and hasn't really lost any momentum since. The Producers Guild of America Awards also honored Anora with its top prize, and seven of the last 10 recipients have gone on to win the best picture Oscar.

If Anora does win, this would be the correct choice: As I wrote last year, the film surprises and enthralls by subverting expectations and confidently balancing opposing tonal shifts. Mikey Madison's explosive lead performance is the anchor, but the entire ensemble is locked in and plays off the dramatic and farcical elements beautifully. Anora feels of the moment in a way that stands out from the rest of the nominee pack; In its normalized depiction of sex work and matter-of-fact critique of capitalism, it's neither subtle nor preachy. It's just (devastatingly) resonant.

Anora should win, but won't:

Stephen Thompson: When we're talking "should win," let's go with Anora, which feels like three dynamite TV episodes — 1) smutty upending of Pretty Woman; 2) panic-inducing thrill ride; and 3) untangling a web of consequences — strung end to end.

What will win is a different story. Though the Oscars have ignored backlash before — ahem, Green Book — it's hard to imagine them going all-in on Emilia Pérez after the sheer volume of bad press it's received. More and more, this field feels like a two-horse race between an "Oscar traditionalist" lane occupied by The Brutalist (epic, ambitious, about a Great Man who battles for art against the forces of commerce) and a snazzier lane occupied by Anora (fun, surprising, made by a director who's accumulated loads of goodwill). When breaking ties in the Oscars race, it's wise to bet on films that speak to the interests of the movie-making community, and this year that means The Brutalist (and The Substance, but all of that film's Oscars heat seems to have been channeled into Demi Moore's campaign for best actress).

The case for The Nickel Boys

Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse star in "Nickel Boys."

(

<i>Orion Pictures</i>

)

Nickel Boys should win, but Anora will take home the prize:

Glen Weldon: The Academy should, but won't, recognize that director RaMell Ross' choice to film the movie using a first-person point-of-view was a bold risk that paid off. What could have been a distracting gimmick was used to deftly serve the emotional beats of the story.

The buzz about Anora has been growing over the course of Oscar season, while the buzz around The Brutalist hit a peak about a month-and-a-half ago. I'm not 100% on this prediction — The Brutalist is safe, traditional awards fodder: It's a serious, sweeping historical (well, pseudo-historical) story. But a lot of folks feel generally well-disposed toward Anora, so it'll do well in ranked-choice voting.

Nickel Boys should win, but The Brutalist will beat it:

Linda Holmes: Of all the best picture nominees, Nickel Boys is the one that has stuck with me as a film most persistently. What RaMell Ross did with the camera here, using a first-person approach that pushes the audience to perceive the story from the perspective of the two boys at the center, was one of my favorite creative choices of the year. Most of the rest of the best picture nominees are movies I liked but didn't love. Nickel Boys is the one I have come back to over and over again, thinking about its methods and its filmmaking, and about the lives and fates of its characters.

Historical dramas have a strong history at the Oscars. Brady Corbet has gotten a huge amount of praise for the sheer sweep of The Brutalist, and the fact that it was made on a smaller budget than many expected — a reported $10 million — has only added to the fascination. Throw in a powerful central performance from Adrien Brody, and this is the kind of movie the Oscars love. Could be Anora, but I think in the end, the story Hollywood wants to tell about itself this year is that it embraced The Brutalist, and that's usually the best way to figure out what's going to win.
Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

(

J.W. Hendricks

/

The LA Local

)

In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.